A Hobbit's Tale
by C.M. Gate
Summary: Destiny is like a reflection in a lake; easily disturbed and yet unavoidable. No matter where one hides, fate will always catch up. And that is what happened to Dahlia Baggins.
1. Prologue

**Well, hi there. This is my third story. **

**This chapter is a little short, I know, but it's not exactly a chapter...more like a 'teaser'...sort of.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything you recognize.**

Destiny and fate. What fickle things they are, if one were to call them _things_.

Different races had their own sayings about them.

_What is written, cannot be avoided. _

_Your destiny is in your own hands._

These are only but two such sayings, and indeed one could hold both true. Choices are what shape the future; choices and decisions. But when one's fate is sealed, destiny can't be avoided.

Unless their place is taken, knowingly, by someone else.

This is the story of a shunned hobbit who gained importance and respect. This is the tale of Dahlia Baggins.

**Since this was too short, I won't oblige anyone to review, though if anyone would like to, they are most welcome. See you soon people and Merry Christmas!**


	2. Chapter One

**Hola! I was so not expecting the response that teeny weeny piece of writing got. So thank you, dear readers! Thank you from the bottom of my heart! However, the biggest surprise came in the form of ****miskamimi****'s review. It really made my day (especially since it seems that I'm gonna be suffering from a dizzy spell on Christmas...sucks, right?).**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Hobbit and it's characters...although Dahlia Baggins is all mine.**

The evening sun was bright and the wind was cool.

Bilbo, Gandalf and the dwarves had just crossed the Last Bridge over the river Hoarwell and entered the relatively small woodland of Trollshaws. Beech trees shadowed them from the waning sunlight and dried leaves crunched under the ponies' hooves.

The company had been relatively quiet, although there was the occasional guffaw of laughter and exclamation of surprise. Bilbo was the quietest, as he had inclination for neither jokes nor curiosity to question Gandalf.

They were following the path through the small woods and the dwarves had rounded a corner round a particularly large beech, when a shriek startled Bilbo so much that he fell right off his pony.

He was so startled that he didn't notice that what actually had caused him to fall was not the shock of the piercing scream, but the impact of a bundle of unruly blonde curls that had hurled itself from the trees.

"Bilbo!" A squeal from the middle of the tangled golden curls caused the dwarves to retrace their steps back quickly.

"Oh, Bilbo! I've missed you!"

The hobbit managed to pull away the mass of hair slightly away from him.

And his mouth dropped open. "Dahlia?" A long shadow fell over them as a hand grabbed both Bilbo and Dahlia and pulled them to their feet and apart.

Bilbo immediately knew that it was Gandalf, however Dahlia paid no heed. Her face was split into the largest grin he had ever seen.

"I knew it! I knew that you were coming to see me this week! The farmer over by the river Bruinen wouldn't believe me, but I knew it! Oh, this is splendid!" she gushed as she clapped her hands in joy.

"Well, well, what a surprise! If it isn't Dahlia Baggins!" A roughened old voice said beside her.

Dahlia's blue eyes narrowed slightly as she looked at the man in front of her. He was wearing long grey robes and a blue pointed hat. His long beard and hair were grey and he was leaning on his staff. His face was lined and slightly weather beaten. However, his eyes twinkled with mischief and merriment.

"I know you from somewhere, don't I?" she said.

"Of course you do! Though I'd wager you remember my fireworks better than you remember me."

Her confusion quickly cleared and her face brightened once more. "Gandalf!" she said as the wizard chuckled.

"You must come for dinner and stay the night!" she said as she grabbed their hands and started to make way through the trees, or rather tried.

She had yet to notice the dwarves' presence.

"Miss Baggins, how about a party instead?" Gandalf suggested.

"That would be most wonderful indeed, but a party between three would be boring." She replied.

"Actually, we're fifteen in all." Dahlia looked in the direction of the voice's owner and froze.

In front of her was a company of thirteen dwarves on ponies. A blonde dwarf with blue eyes and a braided moustache nudged his pony towards another dark haired and eyed dwarf with stubble on his cheeks, the latter seeming to be the only one without a beard.

"Look at the poor lass, she's floundering for words." He said, as his companion chuckled. As soon as the words registered in Dahlia's mind, she shook herself out of her shock.

"How rude of me! Of course, you're invited as well, I caught a wild boar today. It would taste excellent roasted over a spit with the right spices and herbs! But you have to help, or I will uninvite you."

The beardless dwarf's face split into a grin.

"Excellent!" he said as he nudged his pony in the direction of where Dahlia had started to pull Bilbo and Gandalf.

She stooped to pick up her bow and quiver full of arrows, which had fallen to the ground in her excitement when she saw Bilbo.

"You have no idea what you've let yourself in for." Bilbo muttered, a painful expression on his face.

**That was a short one, I know. But bear with me, this story is gonna be a very very long one. You'll get your fill of it and more, mark my words.**

**Let me know what you think of Dahlia in the reviews!**


	3. Chapter Two

**The amount of followers that this story is gaining is incredible! Though I'd like to get a couple more reviews. Anyway, my thanks go to ****miskamimi**** for her lovely review! Thank you!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Hobbit.**

The evening had given way to the night, and the company and Dahlia were in a small clearing by Dahlia's tree house. The party turned out to be more of a barbecue-dinner, however, that is not to say that there was only barbecued food.

The wild boar which Dahlia had caught, skinned and gutted earlier that day, was roasting happily on a spit. Sausages and bacon were fried, along with eggs; and mushrooms were aplenty. Chicken breast was stewed. Fresh vegetables from Dahlia's small field were also present, including, but not limited to, tomatoes, lettuce and carrots, which were chopped for a salad. Onions were chopped and fried, Brussel-sprouts were roasted, peas were boiled along with cauliflower and potatoes were used to make chips, much to the delight of the dwarves. Fish were also grilled, eggs boiled and fresh loaves of bread, baked just that afternoon by Dahlia, were taken out of her pantry. Drinks were also aplenty; wine, ale, blackberry wine, juices and lemonade were only but a few. Fruit cakes, seed cakes, fresh berries, apple pies and jam tarts were all welcomed, even though everyone's stomach was full fit to burst.

The lanterns were lit and the merry making that had been present during dinner was still going strong.

Introductions had already been cleared, and Dahlia was already categorizing everyone in her mind.

The easiest were Kili and Fili. She could guess from their carefree appearance and unlined faces that they were among the youngest, friendliest and quite mischievous.

Bombur was happy as long as there was food in sight and Bofur was also a friendly and merry dwarf, almost like a hobbit. Bifur was more of a challenge, due to his apparent inability to use Westron, although Dahlia thought that he was like Bofur, but more serious.

Dwalin was the 'tough man' of the company and his brother Balin was the wise kind dwarf.

Oin and Gloin were rather grumpy, especially Gloin.

Ori was a simple fellow, with a very sweet nature and his brother Dori was also of the same sweet nature, only more mature and polite, while Nori had a very mischievous look which, although made Dahlia laugh quite heartily, also warned her to be careful, though she couldn't figure out why.

Lastly, there was Thorin, and she could glean only a little of his personality from him. All she was able to see was that he was serious, very serious and was the leader of the company.

She sat quietly observing everyone, her blue eyes flicking over her guests, until they settled on Bilbo. He had also been observing her and had recognized her changing emotions. It was time for her to get some answers, and usually she managed due to her uncanny ability of spotting lies.

"So tell me, Bilbo, how did you get to know the dwarves? It's quite...unexpected of you." She said, her mouth twitching slightly. "Well, it wasn't really my decision, to be completely honest. Gandalf invited them over to Bag End, without informing me. They emptied my pantry!" he said, his nose twitching.

Dahlia's eyebrows rose, trying to stop herself from laughing.

"And whatever you do, do not allow them to use the bathroom. They'll completely destroy your plumbing. Trust me on this, Dahlia." He said, a serious expression on his face. "Goodness gracious!" she exclaimed, as her laughter escaped her mouth. "The Valar forbid anything exciting happens to Mr Bilbo Baggins of Bag End!" she chuckled. "They did a whole lot of good to you, brother. At least, they spiced up your life! I always said that your life was rather boring in Hobbiton."

At this, Bilbo bristled.

"I happen to like the Shire and Bag End, thank you very much. It's a lovely place!" he said. Dahlia raised her hands in defence, none of them noticing the dwarves ceasing their arguments and loud conversations to look at the two sibling hobbits.

"I never said that they're not! But even you can't deny that nothing unexpected occurs. It's so monotone and...rather boring."

"Yes, because adventures are so much better!"

"Well, they're interesting for sure. You've never been on one, Bilbo. You've no idea how good and alive you feel."

"Have you ever been on an adventure?" Someone asked her.

Dahlia looked up at the dark dwarf, Kili.

"Hunting." She replied. "I know they're not much to dwarves. But to hobbits they're plenty, and too much." She said, before voicing what was truly nagging her. "I've never seen a band of dwarves so large passing from these parts before, and I know everything that goes on around these parts. What brought you here? Where are you going?" she asked, her blue eyes alight with curiosity.

As soon as her words were out of her mouth, the mood at the table shifted.

A dark shadow seemed to pass over the dwarves eyes, as some shifted and others avoided her gaze.

"I'm sorry, that was rude of me. It's not really my business. But just so you know, I was not going to steal whatever you're after...who knows, maybe I could have helped." She shrugged, as she put her glass into the plate she had been eating in, along with her cutlery, intending to start the washing up.

"We are on a journey to claim something that has been stolen from us." Thorin said, after a moment, not wanting the line of Durin to appear as a pack of ingrates in front of their host, even though she had no idea who Durin was. She had, after all, treated them to a wonderful dinner and was offering them a place to stay for the night.

Her eyes shifted to the somber dwarf.

"And what has been stolen from you?" She asked.

"Our home."

She nodded her head.

"So you need a burglar, or a thief, to slip inside and work out a strategy from there." She stopped and thought for a moment, her eyes shifting to Bilbo once more. "That's your role, isn't it, Bilbo?" She said, a grin stretching on her face.

Bilbo scowled and nodded, muttering that he was not a thief, no matter what everyone else was insisting. Clearly he had not yet come to terms with his role.

"Nonsense!" she chuckled, upon hearing his denials. "You were always stealing my food and handkerchiefs when we were young!" she exclaimed, however, she soon sobered up. "I cannot help you in getting back your home. I am no burglar. But I can offer you food for the rest of your journey in these woods and assistance till you reach the end of Trollshaws." She said, and without waiting for their reply, she stood up and picked up her plate.

"Out of my way, the lot of you! I have dishes to wash in the small stream behind that beech."

The dwarves had already stood up and were making their way to several spots around the clearing.

"Keep seated, Miss Dahlia, let us take care of the washing." Bofur said, as he pushed her softly back in her seat and turned to look at Kili and Fili with a glint in his eyes. He picked up his fork and knife, hit them together, producing a metallic 'chink' and against the table as Nori copied his actions.

"Don't do that! You'll blunt my cutlery!" she exclaimed, her hand shooting out, intending to stop the dwarves.

Bofur ignored her and turned to other dwarves.

"You heard that lads? She said we'll blunt her knives!"

And that was when the singing, stamping of feet and throwing of plates, cups and bottles started.

"_Blunt the knives, bend the forks."_ Kili sang.

"_Smash the bottles and burn the corks." _Fili responded.

"_Chip the glasses and crack the plates,_

_That's what Dahlia Baggins hates!_

_Cut the cloth and trail the fat,_

_Leave the bones on the bedroom mat!_

_Pour the milk on the pantry floor!_

_Splash the wine on every door!_

_Dump the crocks in a boiling bowl,_

_Pound them up with a thumping pole,_

_And when you're finished, if they are whole,_

_Send them down the hall to roll!"_

The thumping and stamping continued as the throwing of plates towards the stream carried on while a dwarf was using a teapot as he might a flute.

"_That's what Dahlia Baggins hates!"_

Her mouth was hanging open as she observed the clean plates, bottles, glasses, cutlery and dishes in Dwalin's and Ori's hands. She closed her mouth and tore her eyes from Dwalin's and Ori's load and looked at Kili, Fili and Bofur.

"Can you do the cleaning up after every meal for me?" she managed to croak, the dwarves' laughter accompanying her words.

**So, what do you think of the meal Dahlia prepared? I know the pace is pretty slow at the moment, but it will pick up pretty soon, I promise.**

**Reviews? Please? Oh, and Happy New Year!**


	4. Chapter Three

**Hola, my fellow fanfiction-ers! How are you? Not too bad, I hope. Anyway, I just wanted to say, the amount of support that this story has gained with just two chapters is amazing...just two, mind you! Thank you! Thank you so much! My thanks this time goes to ****Cereza101****, ****alexma****, ****miskamimi****, ****Lady Sophia of Arda****, ****ThePhantominthemists**** and all the other readers who added my story to their favourites and alert-list. Thank you so much! (I feel like a parrot, always repeating the same words but I have no other words except a big 'I love you guys!', but that sounds a bit creepy. Or doesn't it? Anyway, enough chatter from me!)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Hobbit. **

Dahlia woke up early in the morning, as was usual to her. The company was still asleep, and so she made her way to her small barn, just beyond the clearing to start the restocking of her emptied pantry.

The hobbit sized cow gave her plenty of milk, although she doubted if it was enough for all of the dwarves. Still, they would have to make do. Her hens also gave their contribution in the form of eggs. She placed her newly filled milk bottle and bowl of eggs in her wicker basket, and made her way back to her small tree house near a patch where wild strawberries grew. The rest of the basket was quickly filled with strawberries and edible wild berries that she could find.

A smile crawled on her face as she climbed the ladder to her tree house and pulled her full basket by a pulley system.

The tree house was as she had left it; empty. Everyone else had slept on mattresses, provided by her, in the small clearing, where the trees had grown in a way to provide a natural roofed area. After all, she had reasoned, her house was too small for so many people, as was the barn. However, it seemed as if they didn't mind. Apparently, the mattresses she provided were much more comfortable than the bedding that they carried with them, and the beech-protected area was quite warm.

Her eyes drifted over to her pantry.

It was empty except for tea, coffee, sugar, flour, butter, marmalade, lemons, some biscuits, herbs, flavourings and the dough she had prepared the previous day before going to sleep. A slow grin spread over her lips while her brain whirred away, thinking of all she could do with those ingredients as she put everything on her table.

She paused as someone knocked lightly on her door.

It was too light to be a dwarf and too early to be Bilbo. She doubted that it was Gandalf.

A frown dragged her blonde brows into a knot as she opened her wooden door and peered outside.

"Hurry up, will you? I want some tea before they polish off anything you have left in your pantry."

To say that she was amazed at hearing Bilbo's voice was an understatement. However, a full-fledged grin appeared on her face as the blonde hobbit threw open her door and dragged in the other hobbit. "But that's awfully bad manners, Bilbo. You should know better." She chuckled, not releasing her grip from his shoulder and kicking the door shut.

"Besides, breakfast's not ready yet and I was hoping that you'd lend a hand." They stopped at Dahlia's almost full table as Bilbo's eyes widened. "But I thought-surely they didn't-how come your pantry is larger than mine?" he stammered.

A fresh peal of laughter escaped her lips.

"It's not! But if you visited often enough you'd have known that I have a small barn full of animals and a fairly-sized field that I tend to. Now, I'll leave the baking of bread and honey cakes in your hands while I go hunting." She said as she turned and bounded away from her kitchen.

Moments later she was bouncing towards her door, leaving a stunned Bilbo in her kitchen. "And no eating before breakfast is served!" she said before shutting the door and climbing down the ladder. As she jumped the last couple of rungs she closed her eyes and breathed in deeply.

The air was warmer now, however it still had that crisp quality belonging only to the wee hours of the morning. Her eyes opened once more, her bow a comfortable weight in her hand, and she moved away from her tree house and the clearing where the dwarves were sleeping towards a grove of trees that grew quite tightly.

She was hoping that she'd be able to catch a couple of rabbits or a small boar. Roasted meat sliced into thin pieces, like ham, would taste wonderful with toasted or fresh bread.

Dahlia had already climbed into a tree, waiting for a sign that her prey was about to pass by. And indeed, she could hear several leaves crunching, signifying that something was about to pass by.

She frowned. It was large, much larger than she had ever caught. And it was not trying to be conscious as other animals. Her wonderings at what it could have been were answered only moments later.

It was one of the dwarves from the previous night. He was quite tall for a dwarf. His hair was long and as dark as his eyes. His cheeks had stubble, not a beard.

Dahlia leaned slightly forward. She noted that he had a bow and a quiver of arrows. A smile tugged at her lips as she took out an arrow, nocked it into her bow, pulled at the bowstring, aimed and released.

The arrow whistled and twanged into the tree that he had just passed by. She smirked as she let herself drop from the tree she had perched herself on, as his shocked eyes drifted from the arrow beside his head to her.

"Kili, wasn't it?" she said as he nodded.

"You're scaring away your own breakfast."

His frown deepened.

"My own-What were you doing? Why did you shoot me?"

Her smile widened at his questions. "One at a time. I'm hunting, as I said, for your breakfast. My pantry is quite empty at the moment. And as far as I'm concerned I didn't shoot you, but the tree next to you. The real question is this; why are you following me?"

Kili shrugged. "Curiosity."

"Make yourself useful then. Climb a tree and hunt. And for the love of whatever you hold dear, don't scare anything away this time. What little cakes and bread Bilbo is making is certainly not enough to feed Bombur alone." She said.

At Dahlia's last comment, Kili chuckled.

"Nothing is ever enough for Bombur."

***  
>The sun had risen from its sleepy state to a brightly shining one. The shadows on the forest floor were sharp against the fallen leaves and every nocturnal animal was surely asleep, while their daylight companions were all awake, going about their business in the small forest that Dahlia lived in.<p>

Dahlia and Kili had caught a fair number of small animals consisting of rabbits, pheasants, wood pigeons and a couple of geese that had been distracting themselves by a large stream feeding into the Hoarwell.

The dwarf and hobbit had already skinned, plucked and gutted the animals and were washing their kill in the stream, when suddenly Dahlia stilled and looked up.

"What was that?"

The dwarf looked up at her question and frowned. "What was what?" he asked, as she raised her hand to silence him, her blue topaz eyes drifting over the foliage.

She heard it again, and her eyes shot over to the direction where the noises were coming from.

"That." She muttered, as she picked up the rabbits and hurried between two large trees.

"I'm not hearing anything." Kili muttered, following her. Dahlia ignored him, pushing a branch out of the way.

"You're sure it's not the other dwarves waking up?" He said, dodging the branch. She ignored him again as she stopped and started climbing a particularly old and gnarled beech tree. It was taller than the others, and when Dahlia and Kili reached the top, they could see a lot of that particular area beneath them.

"What's that?" Dahlia said, pointing towards a particular area where turmoil was obviously present. She grimaced as the culprits moved into a clear part of the forest. "They're disgusting. Look, they look like mutilated monsters." She said, her mouth twisted in disgust.

Kili's face paled.

"Orcs." He muttered, as he started climbing down quickly. "We must go. Quickly!"

Dahlia turned on her branch, intending to follow the dwarf, when she felt her branch creak. Her heart thudded and twisted as she looked down. It was quite a long way to fall down, and the orcs were close, too close for such an accident to occur without their noticing.

"Kili, I can't move! The branch is not strong enough!" she hissed. "What are we going to do? We can't stay here! It's too dangerous!" he replied as he looked at her position on the tree and down to the forest floor. "I'll climb down and you jump and I'll catch you." He said. "No! They're too close, they'll see us. You climb down and catch the rabbits. That'll remove the extra weight from the branch, so I could climb down as well." She said, as he nodded his dark head and continued his descent down the tree.

The rabbits were quickly dropped and caught, she looked back at the orcs, who had advanced from their position and instead of sliding downwards, as Kili was hissing for her to do, she gasped, horror curling in her stomach. "They're going to burn my barn!" she hissed, craning her neck and leaning forward to see what exactly the raiding party were about to do.

And at exactly that point, the tree gave a large creak and Dahlia tumbled down, the broken branch waving precariously as it hung from a few intact splinters. Both Dahlia and Kili stopped moving and breathing, straining their ears to hear any noises.

There were none.

"Do you think they heard that?" Dahlia whispered, her eyes wide, looking at Kili's pale face.

**So what do you think will happen next? Do you think the orcs heard them or not? Let me know in the reviews! **

**I know so far the story has been kind of...slow (still three chapters on, but yeah...nothing much has happened except Bilbo being knocked off his pony and the dwarves clearing out Dahlia's pantry), but it will start taking more shape in the future, I promise.**


	5. Chapter Four

**I am SO sorry for making you wait for so long! I do have a reason, not a good one, but a reason nonetheless.**** Anyway, I'd like to thank those who left reviews; ****Cereza101**** and ****miskamimi****. Thank you!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Hobbit or anything recognizable.**

Dahlia and Kili were both running towards the small clearing that was conjoined with Dahlia's tree house. Their kill was bundled in her, previously white, apron seeing as she had simply refused to leave them behind. She was, after all, a hobbit and hobbits were quite famous for their love of food and comfort.

She was running like a hare in front of Kili; sprinting in clear areas, jumping over over-grown roots and small bramble hedges and ducking under low branches, while her companion followed her, the apron-bundled catch swinging wildly from his clutched hand.

Dahlia had never seen orcs before, she had only read about them. And the books' description had done them no justice. They had failed to describe the extent of malice and cruelty that their eyes could portray, the strength that their powerful forms radiated. She had read that some orcs had misshapen forms, although they were still quite strong.

The orcs she had seen were not misshapen, but powerfully built with corded muscles rippling underneath their greyish mud coloured skin. She shivered as she imagined the strength that such orcs would posses. She had never encountered orcs before, or been involved in a skirmish, and her resolve to never be involved in such an event strengthened at the expression on Kili's face.

They burst through the trees into the small clearing. Most of the dwarves were already awake and were packing away their weapons and the others were rubbing their eyes and cracking their backs, their mouths wide open in yawns.

Kili stopped, dropping their catch, his hands on his knees as he gulped much needed air. "Never again." He murmured to himself. Dahlia found herself in front of Thorin, who was frowning and waiting for an explanation.

"Out hunting." She began, puffing for air. She was winded as well, although not as bad as Kili. "Orcs. Barn and fire!" she exclaimed. She was unable to articulate full sentences.

Thorin's frown deepened, confusion dancing in his icy eyes.

"We were out hunting." Kili wheezed, appearing to gain enough of his breath back to explain what had happened. "Dahlia heard disturbances and we saw orcs pillaging her barn from a tree."

"Did they see you? Were you being pursued?"

Dahlia flinched inwardly as she heard Thorin's deep voice.

"No, they weren't after us." Kili said.

Thorin's tension visibly decreased.

Dahlia's eyes flicked over to Kili, he was looking at her in an expectant way. Clearly, he was waiting for her to explain what else had happened.

"They might have heard the branch I was on break." Dahlia said, her hands twisting in her skirt.

She didn't know the dwarf leader, but everything in him, from his eyes, to his deep voice right down to his proud stature, made her feel on edge. His eyes snapped over back to her, and she almost recoiled from their intensity. She felt her cheeks redden, and she battled the blush that was threatening to take over.

As she looked in his eyes, she realised that he was angry at her, but refrained from delivering a sharp retort to her seeing as she had just provided them with food and a place to stay for the night.

"Get the burglar." He said, as he turned and hurried over to his pony. "We're moving."

Dahlia stood in the middle of the clearing, the dwarves rushing around her as they strapped supplies to their ponies and weapons to themselves. She was at a loss at what to do. A shadow fell over her, blocking the morning sun's bright rays.

"I suggest you start preparing to move out, Miss Baggins. Thorin is not the most patient dwarf." "But-" Gandalf frowned at her, his eyes twinkling. "You don't want to face the orcs on your own, do you?"

Her mouth snapped shut as she shook her head, her golden curls swishing around her.

"Go on then." He encouraged her, as she took off to her tree house, climbing the ladder at record speed.

Bilbo was taking out the bread and cakes that he had baked.

"Wrap them in the table cloth. We're leaving." She said as she raced to her bedroom. "Leaving? Without breakfast?!" he said, as he followed her to her bedroom. "Orcs attacked my barn and they heard me and Kili. Gandalf and Thorin think that they're following us." She said as she took out a back pack and started throwing clothes, underclothes and blankets in it.

"You and Kili? What were you doing?" he said.

Dahlia looked up at Bilbo, she could literally see his curly hair bristling up. Her eyes narrowed at him as her hands found their place on their hips.

"Acting the protective brother? After who knows how long you haven't visited me? For your information, I went hunting and Kili followed me because he was curious as to where I was going." She said as she turned and continued with her packing, two handkerchiefs in her hands.

He sighed as he observed his sister debating internally over a white handkerchief and a flowery one.

"Oh, and we're about to be attacked by orcs, by the way. In case you were too busy worrying over Kili and me hunting." She said, her voice laced with irritation.

Bilbo's heart stilled.

Ever since the night where the dwarf brothers had taunted him about an orc raid, his prayers and hopes to avoid an orc confrontation had increased by a tenfold.

"Orcs? But...what do we do now?" he said, hiding his trembling hands behind his back.

"Go and tie up all the food in the table cloth and climb down, for starters." Dahlia said, as she kneeled beside her bed and took out a second quiver full of arrows.

Bilbo all but ran out of the room and into the kitchen, where he threw all the food and bundled everything up, while Dahlia removed the quiver she had used for hunting from her back and tied both quivers and her bow to her full bag. The bag found itself securely on her back as she followed Bilbo out of her house. She paused at the door, looking in at her small neat little home.

It wasn't much, consisting only of a kitchen, bedroom and a pantry, the bathroom being located down near the clearing. She sighed as she locked her door, wondering whether by the end of the orcs' rampage it would still be standing.

Dahlia almost flew down the ladder and was about to run to get her pony, whose stable was next to the clearing, just like her bathroom. However, she found Gandalf standing next to her pony, which was already strapped to her small cart. The bundle of food which Bilbo had brought down with him was in the cart, as well as her and Kili's catch and the filled water skins of the dwarves, which had been filled just that morning from the stream.

In just a couple of moments, she found herself seated on the cart, the reigns in her hands, back pack next to the food and following the dwarves out of the clearing on the path. And just as they rounded a large beech tree that she liked to think of as a corner, she heard the orcs bursting in her clearing.

She turned to look back one last time, her blonde locks obscuring her vision. However, the large beech tree and her hair refused her the last vision of her home that she craved. With her blue eyes almost in tears, Dahlia turned back to look at the dwarves that she was following and, wondering at what was to become of her, she encouraged her pony to move faster.

**So Dahlia's lost her beloved tree house. Now what? Any predictions as to what's going to happen? Let me know in the reviews!**


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